A content material calendar is an effective way to visualise your publishing schedule. From weblog posts and social media content material to e mail campaigns and YouTube movies, protecting observe with out one is a ache to say the least.
It will get much more difficult once you’re publishing throughout a number of platforms and managing a group of creators, editors, and producers.
These are a few of my favourite content material calendar templates for staying organized.
monday.com: A multi-purpose content material calendar template
Searching for a versatile and highly effective solution to handle content material and different sorts of work in a single place? monday.com is likely one of the prime venture administration options I’ve used.
The free plan is nice for as much as two customers and is greater than sufficient to strive monday.com’s free content material calendar template. Nonetheless, paid plans include way more performance and are higher fitted to groups needing automation, formulation, integrations, and dashboards.
Be taught extra about monday.com: monday.com assessment | monday.com’s latest options.
This content material calendar template is nice for groups that want a solution to plan and execute content material alongside different sorts of initiatives.
It’s nice for high-level or short-term planning, nevertheless it actually shines once you use it as a solution to assign duties and get work executed. With tons of inbuilt venture administration performance, you may simply set due dates, set off notifications, and observe progress too.
It really works simply as effectively for any kind of content material, from social media and movies to long-form weblog posts.
You possibly can view the entire work as a easy desk, Kanban view, calendar, timeline, or interactive dashboard (relying in your plan).
Though the template itself is comparatively easy, the extensibility of monday.com as a instrument means you may add on or mix it with different templates to create a whole enterprise operations system that runs your complete division or firm.
Notion content material calendar templates
Though Notion has venture administration options, it may well do an entire lot greater than that. It’s basically a clean slate with the power to create any kind of system or workspace you want. It really works notably effectively for issues that you must hold observe of.
In our context, it really works nice for content material. But it surely’s additionally wonderful for notes, budgeting, HR, finance, and extra.
Should you’re a solo consumer, the free plan will get you by for a very long time. Groups can strive Notion with the free plan, however you’ll must improve to a paid plan to proceed utilizing it.
Be taught extra about Notion: Notion assessment | Notion vs monday.com | Notion vs Confluence.
A primary content material calendar template and Kanban board
Notion’s primary content material calendar template is a good place to begin as a result of it requires zero effort to arrange. Out of the field, you’ll get pre configured calendar and Kanban views you may add content material to instantly.
The calendar is nice for making certain a constant publishing schedule whereas the Kanban board makes it simple to maintain observe of manufacturing alongside the best way.
You possibly can brainstorm concepts utilizing the inbuilt “concept” standing and transfer gadgets to “in progress” once you’re able to get to work. Don’t like an concept? All it’s a must to do is delete it. Every merchandise enables you to connect media recordsdata so you may collect every thing that you must publish in a single place.
This template works simply as effectively whether or not you’re working by your self or with a small group.
A Notion template for managing social media content material
Notion’s easy social media content material calendar works very well when you repurpose present content material throughout a number of channels. Slightly than creating 4 gadgets for a single video, you may create it as soon as and tag the merchandise for YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Like different Notion templates, you may simply arrange a variety of views, one among which is a calendar that makes it simple to see each bit of content material and the platforms it would go on.
As quickly as an merchandise has a date, it reveals up in your calendar. That is true even when it’s nonetheless within the strategy of being created.
However coloration coding on the calendar view relies on every merchandise’s standing, providing you with a right away visible of what’s on observe or operating behind.
As a result of Notion is so versatile, you may simply replace both template or broaden on them to make them give you the results you want and your group.
ClickUp content material calendar templates
ClickUp isn’t as versatile as monday.com or Notion, nevertheless it has extra inbuilt performance. As a substitute of constructing what you want, it already exists and can be utilized proper out of the field.
On prime of that, the free plan is way extra beneficiant. You possibly can have an infinite variety of customers plus you get limitless duties, collaborative docs, group chat, customized fields, and a number of venture views.
Superior options, like automations, Gantt view, calculations, time monitoring, objectives, workload administration, and superior permissions are all accessible on paid plans once you’re prepared.
Be taught extra about ClickUp: ClickUp assessment | ClickUp vs monday.com | ClickUp vs Notion.
A sophisticated all-purpose content material administration template
ClickUp’s advertising and marketing content material calendar template is likely one of the most fully-featured and versatile choices on my checklist. It’s versatile sufficient for solo entrepreneurs and mid-sized groups alike, Plus, you don’t must do a lot to get began.
It comes with eight distinctive statuses, ten customized fields, and group collaboration instruments so you may assign duties and observe the progress of all of your content material.
Relying in your plan, the template consists of eight views, giving everybody in your group the chance to see their work in a means that works greatest for them. Customers can simply change between calendar, board, checklist, timeline, and Gantt chart views with out impacting anybody else.
On the calendar view, color-coded content material sorts make it simple to remain organized and see what’s occurring throughout totally different platforms at a look.
As a bonus, ClickUp’s collaborative doc creator additionally makes it simple to create an organization wiki, doc your processes, plan campaigns, and take notes as a group.
A easy editorial calendar template
This editorial calendar template is ideal for bloggers and editors. It comes with 4 totally different views — calendar, board, checklist, and timeline — making it simple for the whole group to view big-picture planning whereas additionally specializing in their particular duties and to-do lists.
The template consists of seven inbuilt statuses, together with in assessment, scheduled, and printed. As a result of it’s arrange for running a blog, you gained’t must customise it to match your wants.
All the inbuilt statuses are coloration coded, so it’s apparent the place every thing stands, even from a excessive degree.
You possibly can take issues a step additional by categorizing your content material and importing the entire digital property you want for publishing. As soon as a submit is stay, there’s additionally a customized discipline for the URL so you may rapidly entry it sooner or later.
Between the 2 templates, this one is way less complicated and simpler to begin utilizing on day one. Nonetheless, it may well really feel cluttered and overwhelming when you’re utilizing it for extra than simply weblog posts.
Airtable editorial calendar template
Airtable is by far probably the most highly effective instrument on this checklist, particularly when you’ve got a number of knowledge that you must join collectively. My group makes use of it for all types of issues, together with income, content material manufacturing, service supply, and extra.
Like Notion, it requires a major quantity of labor up entrance. However you’ll find yourself with a customized setup designed round the best way you’re employed when you’re prepared to place within the time.
You probably have fewer than 5 collaborators, you can begin utilizing Airtable free of charge. You’ll get limitless bases, 1,000 data per base, 1 GB of storage per base, and 100 month-to-month automation runs.
Be taught extra about Airtable: Airtable assessment | Airtable vs monday.com | Airtable vs Notion.
Airtable works very well when you’ve got a number of knowledge. It’s an incredible resolution for reporting, analytics, content material administration, workload administration, and anything that accumulates a number of knowledge factors. This template presents an excellent place to begin in case your present focus is on planning, organizing, and managing high-volume manufacturing.
Like different templates, you’ll get a number of views — grid view, calendar view, and writer workload come pre configured.
You’ll additionally get particular person tables for managing content material, planning content material, and protecting observe of your group (together with their roles, capability, and availability).
Though this template is easy, you gained’t have to fret about deleting a bunch of belongings you’ll by no means use. As a substitute, it’s a place to begin you may construct on as you get snug and your wants change.
Airtable’s greatest downside can also be its greatest benefit.
The software program’s flexibility means there are dozens of the way to perform the identical factor and it may well take a number of time to determine what works greatest for you.
However when you want one thing that’ll by no means impede your progress, it’s price studying the fundamentals.
Asana social calendar template
All the instruments we’ve lined to this point are extremely versatile. If you’d like one thing that requires much less setup and has far much less room for error, Asana’s a better option.
Though it’s extra inflexible, there’s often one greatest solution to set issues up so that you don’t have to fret about doing it fallacious, doing it fallacious once more, after which doing it fallacious yet another time earlier than determining the perfect resolution.
Its free plan can also be very beneficiant, permitting for limitless initiatives, duties, messages, and storage. It’s an incredible choice for small groups or bigger groups who need to strive earlier than they purchase.
Be taught extra about Asana: Asana assessment | Asana vs monday.com | Airtable vs Asana.
Technically, this template is for managing social media content material. However you need to use it for any kind of content material from movies and podcast episodes to free downloads and case research.
It consists of every thing you’ll have to ideate, strategize, prioritize, and assign work throughout each channel you utilize. Plus, you may add new initiatives and tie them to high-level milestones or objectives to remain aligned.
With each bit of content material, there’s a spot for the content material itself, key phrases, and recordsdata so you may simply collect every thing in a single place.
The template even consists of built-in approval workflows to manage high quality at each degree and process dependencies if you wish to use the important path methodology.
Regardless of being extremely feature-rich, it’s comparatively simple to get began. All it’s a must to do is add the entire channels you submit on, add a chunk of content material, fill out all of its data, and set a date. From there, you recognize every thing that you must know to make use of it.
You possibly can simply flip your calendar into totally different venture views, together with checklist, Kanban view, Gantt chart, customized dashboards, and extra.
Not like different content material calendar templates, Asana’s calendar view is clear and aesthetically pleasing, at the same time as you add a number of gadgets per day. It’s additionally coloration coded by no matter discipline you select, making it simple to visualise progress at a look.
A content material calendar you need to use with Google Sheets, Excel, or Phrase
In case your wants are easy otherwise you need one thing acquainted, you need to use a spreadsheet to maintain observe of your manufacturing schedule as a substitute. When arrange effectively, you’ll be capable of keep organized and on schedule with out having to make use of venture administration software program.
There are a whole bunch of free content material calendar spreadsheets, however this one from Smartsheet is one among my favorites as a result of it presents a streamlined solution to handle content material on a number of platforms.
Smartsheet’s easy content material calendar template is free to obtain for Excel, Google Sheets, Phrase, PowerPoint, and PDF.
It has area to plan for the following week, so it’s way more restricted than different choices on the checklist. But it surely’s a really clear solution to hold observe of content material throughout a number of platforms with out getting overwhelmed. Plus, you may make a duplicate to plan forward.
The setup may be very easy. Days of the week are throughout the highest and totally different advertising and marketing channels are down the left.
Say you will have an concept and need to submit it on Fb. Simply choose a day of the week and add your concept within the applicable row. You possibly can add a number of concepts when you’re undecided.
That is about so simple as it will get. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear like a standard calendar and it’s difficult to plan forward. You’ll have to begin with a brand new sheet each week and there’s no solution to hold observe of the content material creation course of.
That stated, it’s a straightforward solution to plan forward at low quantity.
How one can create your individual content material and editorial calendar
You possibly can create your individual content material calendar template utilizing spreadsheet software program, relational database instruments, venture administration options, and even pen and paper. If nothing above works for you, you may get artistic and use one thing you have already got.
Excel and Google Sheets, for instance, have built-in calendars you can begin with. Or you may draw one on a whiteboard, use a bodily calendar, or construct one in Google Docs.
When you resolve, it’s only a matter of including content material and selecting dates.
Whereas which will work for quite simple wants, a extra superior content material calendar ought to have a spot to maintain observe of:
- Content material kind.
- Publish date.
- Channel.
- Standing.
- Recordsdata and pictures.
- Notes.
- Proprietor.
- Assigned to.
If the concept of including all of that sounds intimidating, you may all the time begin with one of many templates from this checklist and customise it to match your wants.
What can I observe with a content material calendar?
Content material calendar templates are actually versatile instruments. They’ll work effectively for particular person use and high-level planning to monitoring complete manufacturing schedules and full-scale content material groups with editors, strategists, writers, and extra.
You should use a content material calendar to:
- Arrange and plan content material advertising and marketing actions.
- Construct out brief or long-term campaigns.
- Produce and publish social media content material.
- Write, edit, and publish weblog posts.
- Replace or repurpose present content material.
- Guarantee constant publishing for various audiences.
That is actually simply scratching the floor with what you are able to do with a content material calendar, particularly when you’re planning to leverage the built-in venture administration options.
Do I actually need a content material calendar?
Should you’re publishing one or two items of content material per day or week, you don’t want something fancy.
A easy calendar that allows you to drag and drop, regulate dates on the fly, and collect property in a single place is greater than sufficient. My group used a easy Kanban board for years with no issues.
We did ultimately improve to one thing else however elegant and easy can get you numerous additional than you suppose.
That stated, you in all probability don’t want a content material calendar (or can get by with a easy spreadsheet) when you don’t want to stay to a constant schedule or solely publish a couple of occasions monthly.
Something past that and also you’ll doubtless begin to really feel overwhelmed with no centralized place to visualise dates, statuses, property, and technique in a single place.
